Road-portable conveyor apparatus, systems and methods

Abstract

Road-portable conveyors are described. In some embodiments, the conveyor is supported on a trailer in a road transport configuration. In some embodiments, a support structure is attached to the conveyor and supported on a rolling support during road transport.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A conveyor having an operational configuration and a road transport configuration, the conveyor comprising:
 a wheel assembly; 
 a first conveyor section, the first conveyor section supported at least partially on said wheel assembly in the operational configuration, the wheel assembly supported at least partially on said first conveyor section in the road transport configuration; 
 a wheeled support at least partially supporting said first conveyor section in the road transport configuration; 
 a support structure configured to be supported on said wheeled support, said support structure being removably mounted to said first conveyor section; 
 a first undercarriage section, said first undercarriage section being mounted to a rearward end of said first conveyor section, said wheel assembly being pivotally coupled to a forward section of said first undercarriage section for pivoting about a generally vertical axis; and 
 a second undercarriage section, said second undercarriage section comprising a telescoping strut, said second undercarriage section being pivotally coupled at a rearward end thereof to said first undercarriage section for pivoting about a generally horizontal axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said wheeled support is steerable. 
     
     
       3. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said wheeled support comprises a plurality of steerable axles. 
     
     
       4. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said first undercarriage section is at least partially supported by the first conveyor section in the road transport configuration. 
     
     
       5. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said second undercarriage section extends at least partially through said support structure. 
     
     
       6. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure is removably mounted to said second undercarriage section, and wherein said second undercarriage section is removably mounted to said first conveyor section. 
     
     
       7. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure comprises a truss having a plurality of angled support members. 
     
     
       8. The conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second conveyor section slidingly engaged with said first conveyor section; and 
 a load roller mounted to said first conveyor section and rollingly supporting said second conveyor section. 
 
     
     
       9. The conveyor of  claim 8 , wherein said support structure is mounted to a portion of said first conveyor section adjacent to said load roller. 
     
     
       10. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said first conveyor section includes a lower rail and a plurality of angled supports, wherein said support structure is mounted to a portion of said lower rail adjacent to at least two of said plurality of angled supports. 
     
     
       11. The conveyor of  claim 1 , further comprising a tail pivot supporting said first conveyor section. 
     
     
       12. The conveyor of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first undercarriage section, said first undercarriage section being mounted to a rearward end of said first conveyor section, said wheel assembly being pivotally coupled to a forward section of said first undercarriage section for pivoting about a generally vertical axis; and 
 a second undercarriage section, said second undercarriage section comprising a telescoping strut, said second undercarriage section being pivotally coupled at a rearward end thereof to said first undercarriage section for pivoting about a generally horizontal axis, said second undercarriage section. 
 
     
     
       13. The conveyor of  claim 1 , wherein said wheel assembly comprises a swing axle. 
     
     
       14. A method of reconfiguring a conveyor between a first configuration in which the conveyor is at least partially supported on a wheel assembly by an intermediate support structure and a second configuration in which the conveyor is at least partially supported on a steerable wheeled support, the method comprising:
 attaching the support structure to the conveyor; 
 positioning the wheeled support in alignment with the conveyor; 
 lifting a tail end of the conveyor; 
 creating a vertical clearance between a lower portion of the support structure and the wheeled support; and 
 supporting the conveyor at least partially on the wheeled support. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 supporting the wheel assembly on the conveyor such that the wheel assembly is supported off the ground when the conveyor is supported at least partially on the wheeled support. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 towing the conveyor by a tail end thereof for road transport. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 turning the conveyor during road transport such that one or more wheels of the wheeled support is steered. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said wheeled support comprises a plurality of steerable axles. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 pivoting said wheeled support about a vertical axis. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein said step of attaching the support structure to the conveyor comprises attaching the support structure to a truss of the conveyor.